Average power rating of opponents played: SAN ANTONIO 95.8, MINNESOTA 96.3

SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

SAN ANTONIO - Season Results

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Team Stats

Opp Stats

Date

Opponent

Score

SU

Line

ATS

Tot.

O/U

Shots

Pct

REB

TO

Shots

Pct

REB

TO

12/9/2018

UTAH

110-97

W

4

W

219

U

47-89

52.8%

49

11

37-85

43.5%

47

14

12/11/2018

PHOENIX

111-86

W

-13

W

216.5

U

41-83

49.4%

50

15

33-82

40.2%

46

17

12/13/2018

LA CLIPPERS

125-87

W

-3

W

221.5

U

48-83

57.8%

51

11

30-84

35.7%

50

17

12/15/2018

CHICAGO

93-98

L

-9

L

213.5

U

32-73

43.8%

47

15

37-86

43.0%

50

7

12/17/2018

PHILADELPHIA

123-96

W

-1

W

224.5

U

49-87

56.3%

50

6

40-98

40.8%

49

10

12/19/2018

@ ORLANDO

129-90

W

-3

W

209.5

O

50-77

64.9%

50

11

34-89

38.2%

43

11

12/21/2018

MINNESOTA

124-98

W

-3.5

W

219.5

O

46-87

52.9%

55

16

33-83

39.8%

46

12

12/22/2018

@ HOUSTON

101-108

L

4.5

L

217

U

42-88

47.7%

51

9

37-95

38.9%

63

9

12/26/2018

DENVER

111-103

W

-4

W

216

U

42-90

46.7%

55

10

35-90

38.9%

61

12

12/28/2018

@ DENVER

99-102

L

4.5

W

216.5

U

40-89

44.9%

47

10

39-85

45.9%

60

21

12/29/2018

@ LA CLIPPERS

122-111

W

2.5

W

226

O

44-87

50.6%

52

15

36-82

43.9%

48

17

12/31/2018

BOSTON

120-111

W

1.5

W

217.5

O

45-91

49.5%

49

11

43-88

48.9%

50

12

1/3/2019

TORONTO

125-107

W

-3.5

W

218

O

47-85

55.3%

49

12

39-87

44.8%

45

10

1/5/2019

MEMPHIS

108-88

W

-8.5

W

204

U

36-73

49.3%

50

15

31-82

37.8%

48

20

1/7/2019

@ DETROIT

119-107

W

-2.5

W

214.5

O

43-79

54.4%

44

9

42-85

49.4%

44

10

1/9/2019

@ MEMPHIS

86-96

L

-2.5

L

206

U

30-83

36.1%

63

13

37-90

41.1%

57

9

1/10/2019

OKLAHOMA CITY

154-147

W

1.5

W

224.5

O

56-99

56.6%

51

17

58-114

50.9%

59

13

1/12/2019

@ OKLAHOMA CITY

112-122

L

6

L

227

O

44-96

45.8%

58

14

43-93

46.2%

54

7

1/14/2019

CHARLOTTE

93-108

L

-7

L

220.5

U

38-82

46.3%

44

12

43-92

46.7%

53

7

1/16/2019

@ DALLAS

105-101

W

2

W

217

U

41-83

49.4%

45

9

37-86

43.0%

52

13

1/18/2019

@ MINNESOTA

1/20/2019

LA CLIPPERS

1/23/2019

@ PHILADELPHIA

1/26/2019

@ NEW ORLEANS

1/27/2019

WASHINGTON

1/29/2019

PHOENIX

1/31/2019

BROOKLYN

2/2/2019

NEW ORLEANS

MINNESOTA - Season Results

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Team Stats

Opp Stats

Date

Opponent

Score

SU

Line

ATS

Tot.

O/U

Shots

Pct

REB

TO

Shots

Pct

REB

TO

12/10/2018

@ GOLDEN STATE

108-116

L

9.5

W

229

U

38-83

45.8%

50

16

39-93

41.9%

57

16

12/12/2018

@ SACRAMENTO

130-141

L

-3

L

227

O

50-93

53.8%

48

11

50-86

58.1%

47

10

12/15/2018

@ PHOENIX

99-107

L

-7.5

L

219

U

39-96

40.6%

53

11

41-90

45.6%

62

15

12/17/2018

SACRAMENTO

132-105

W

-8

W

231

O

48-97

49.5%

69

11

38-90

42.2%

44

15

12/19/2018

DETROIT

123-129

L

-5.5

L

216.5

O

45-103

43.7%

61

7

46-94

48.9%

61

13

12/21/2018

@ SAN ANTONIO

98-124

L

3.5

L

219.5

O

33-83

39.8%

46

12

46-87

52.9%

55

16

12/23/2018

@ OKLAHOMA CITY

114-112

W

6.5

W

221.5

O

41-83

49.4%

50

16

43-90

47.8%

53

13

12/26/2018

@ CHICAGO

119-94

W

-4

W

210

O

46-93

49.5%

64

11

39-95

41.1%

48

10

12/28/2018

ATLANTA

120-123

L

-10

L

229.5

O

44-98

44.9%

60

14

47-100

47.0%

71

23

12/30/2018

@ MIAMI

113-104

W

3.5

W

206.5

O

38-94

40.4%

55

10

37-90

41.1%

67

19

12/31/2018

@ NEW ORLEANS

114-123

L

0

L

223.5

O

43-93

46.2%

45

7

45-87

51.7%

53

15

1/2/2019

@ BOSTON

102-115

L

6

L

215

O

40-83

48.2%

42

14

45-76

59.2%

40

16

1/4/2019

ORLANDO

120-103

W

-4

W

214

O

47-91

51.6%

63

11

42-88

47.7%

42

11

1/6/2019

LA LAKERS

108-86

W

-8

W

224.5

U

41-89

46.1%

57

14

32-87

36.8%

63

21

1/8/2019

@ OKLAHOMA CITY

119-117

W

8.5

W

229

O

38-90

42.2%

54

10

43-85

50.6%

55

16

1/11/2019

DALLAS

115-119

L

-4.5

L

224

O

47-102

46.1%

63

13

44-97

45.4%

53

7

1/12/2019

NEW ORLEANS

110-106

W

1.5

W

237.5

U

40-93

43.0%

55

13

40-88

45.5%

54

15

1/15/2019

@ PHILADELPHIA

107-149

L

6

L

234

O

35-90

38.9%

42

11

55-92

59.8%

59

15

1/18/2019

SAN ANTONIO

1/20/2019

PHOENIX

1/22/2019

@ PHOENIX

1/24/2019

@ LA LAKERS

1/25/2019

@ UTAH

1/27/2019

UTAH

1/30/2019

MEMPHIS

2/2/2019

DENVER

KEY GAME INFORMATION

SAN ANTONIO: LAST SEASON: 47-35, lost in Western Conference first round.
COACH: Gregg Popovich (23rd season).
PROJECTED STARTING FIVE: G Patty Mills (12.0 ppg), G DeMar DeRozan (11.5 ppg, Toronto), F Rudy Gay (10.5 ppg), F LaMarcus Aldridge, (18.0 ppg), C Jakob Poeltl (7.2 ppg, Toronto).
KEY LOSSES: F Kawhi Leonard, G Manu Ginobili, G Tony Parker, G Danny Green
KEY ADDITIONS: DeRozan, Poeltl, F Marco Belinelli, G Lonnie Walker, C Chimezie Metu
PLAYERS TO WATCH: San Antonio's backcourt will be key in determining how the team fares this season after PG Dejounte Murray tore his right ACL. DeRozan comes to San Antonio along with Poeltl after an unexpected trade by Toronto for Leonard and Green. DeRozan wanted to remain with the Raptors his entire career, so he felt betrayed and was upset by the trade initially. The 6-foot-7 guard has since embraced San Antonio and stated he will take his revenge out on the league this season.
OUTLOOK: The Spurs were third in the West most of last season despite not having their leading scorer and defender in Leonard for all but nine games last season. San Antonio adapted throughout the season in preparation for Leonard's return, which never happened. In Leonard's place is DeRozan, a four-time All-Star, who should provide Aldridge with the additional scoring punch the team lacked at times in the starting lineup. The addition and maturation of young stars like Walker, Poeltl, Metu, G Derrick White and G Bryn Forbes along with DeRozan and Gay also provides the Spurs with one of the most athletic teams they have had in years.

MINNESOTA: LAST SEASON: 47-35, lost in first round.
COACH: Tom Thibodeau (third season, eighth NBA season).
PROJECTED STARTING FIVE: G Jeff Teague (14.2 ppg), G Derrick Rose (8.4 ppg) OR Jimmy Butler (22.2 ppg), F Andrew Wiggins (17.7 ppg), F Taj Gibson (12.2 ppg), C Karl-Anthony Towns (21.3 ppg).
KEY LOSSES: G Jamal Crawford, F Nemanja Bjelica
KEY ADDITIONS: F Anthony Tolliver, G Josh Okogie, F Keita Bates-Diop, F Luol Deng
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Butler requested a trade less than a week before the beginning of training camp. Thibodeau has said the Wolves will only grant his wish if they find a deal that makes sense for them, but the likelihood of Butler joining them on the floor after all the bluster is low. Assuming a trade is consummated, the Wolves would almost certainly receive a starter as part of a package. For now, Rose is playing the shooting guard spot after a decent showing down the stretch last season as yet another former Chicago Bulls player to reunite with Thibodeau.
OUTLOOK: Though the Wolves were able to celebrate their return to the playoffs last spring after a 13-year absence, they were already facing a rough road back in a rugged Western Conference that only got deeper over the summer. Then Butler's unhappiness came to a head. The good news for the Wolves is that Towns has continued to improve into one of the game's best big men with a smooth 3-point shot to boot, and at age 22 he already has his super-max contract signed. Even if this season proves to be a step back, Towns will be the franchise cornerstone for years to come.

PREVIEW

Timberwolves' bounce-back chance comes vs. Spurs

When the season started, people were talking about the Minnesota Timberwolves for all the right reasons -- as a team poised to become a force in the Western Conference.

But the reality has not followed the expectations, and the Timberwolves are still trying to find themselves and develop momentum as they host the San Antonio Spurs on Friday at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

The latest head-scratching performance from Minnesota came during a 149-107 face-plant at home against Philadelphia on Tuesday in the return to the Twin Cities by former Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler.

Butler, who was traded to the 76ers early in the season for Robert Covington, Dario Saric and Jerryd Bayless, scored 19 points in his first game against Minnesota since he forced the move.

Derrick Rose led the Timberwolves (21-23) with 15 points off the bench in the loss, with Karl-Anthony Towns adding 13 and Andrew Wiggins scoring 12 points.

Most of the Timberwolves blamed the result on lack of effort and a reoccurrence of a problem that has affected Minnesota this season.

"We just got to be a rugged team," guard Jeff Teague said. "We can't be a pretty team. I think we're a pretty team right now. And pretty gets us beat by 40 points. We got to be ugly."

Interim coach Ryan Saunders, who is 2-2 after he took over from the fired Tom Thibodeau on Jan. 6, said how his team handles the loss would be a good lesson.

"It's about not getting too high and not getting too low on things and still taking things day by day in terms of improvement," Saunders told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "We look forward to getting better after a showing like this."

The Spurs (26-20) conclude their short two-game trip after outlasting Dallas 105-101 on Wednesday while snapping a two-game losing streak. San Antonio weathered a torrid beginning by the Mavericks -- Dallas scored 23 of the game's first 27 points -- and secured the win with Davis Bertans' 3-pointer with 1:46 to play.

Marco Belinelli returned to the lineup after sitting out San Antonio's loss to Charlotte on Monday and led the Spurs with 17 points. Rudy Gay also was in the lineup after a five-game absence because of a left wrist injury; he scored 14 points in the win. Patty Mills and DeMar DeRozan added 14 points each in the victory.

Gay played with a brace on his wrist. Asked afterward if the injury was fully healed, he told the San Antonio Express News that it felt "(good) enough to play. I eventually stopped worrying about it."

Gay, who is in his 13th NBA season, finished the game with 15,004 points, becoming one of just three players to record at least 15,000 points, 4,000 rebounds and 1,000 steals since 2006. The other two are the Lakers' LeBron James and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook.

"I've been around for a while," Gay said about the milestone.

"I've been through injuries, been on subpar teams. Being able to still be here and accomplish something like that, I guess it's a pretty big thing. I feel like I have a lot more left. I'm going to get ready to try to get (15,000) more, I guess."

San Antonio has won two of the three games against the Timberwolves this season but has lost two straight in the Twin Cities, including a 128-89 defeat on Nov. 28. The Spurs own a 88-30 all-time record against Minnesota.